Chairperson of Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) Leela Samson has resigned citing reasons of 'interference and corruption' after the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT) apparently cleared the controversial film Messenger of God (MSG) that stars Dera Saccha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh.
Samson said the reasons cited are alleged "interference, coercion and corruption of panel members and officers of the organization who are appointed by the ministry."
According to Samson, "...having to manage an organization whose Board has not met for over nine months as the ministry had no funds to permit the meeting of members."
She also said, "The term of all the members and the Chairperson of the Censor Board are over. But since the new government failed to appoint a new Board and Chairperson, a few were given extension and asked to carry on till the procedure was completed."
"However, recent cases of interference in the working of the CBFC by the ministry, through an 'additional charge' CEO, and corrupt panel members has caused a degradation of those values that the members of this Board of CBFC and Chairperson stood for," Samson alleged.
